Method and device for treating beverages using negative ions

ABSTRACT

This invention is a method and device for treating beverages, particularly wine, with negative ions and thereby enhancing the flavor of the beverages. The invention is preferably a container designed to enclose the beverage where the inside of the container is coated with a substance (such as a powder) that emits or generates negative ions. The treatment process will take place over several hours to several days depending on the desired strength of the treatment.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present application claims the priority of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/883,014, filed on Dec. 31, 2006, inventor(s) John Shih and Timothy Shih, titled “Method and device for Treating Beverages Using Negative Ions.”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of treating a beverage with an additive or additives.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known that the distinctive flavor of wine can be enhanced in a number of ways. The flavor can be affected by the type and selection of the grapes, the amount of additives, the fermenting process, the method of storing, and the method of aging the wine. Additionally, aging certain wines in a bottle has also been known to have an effect on its flavor.

The prior art suggests methods of enhancing the flavor both in the pre-bottling aging process in wood casks as well as post-bottling. Pre-bottling aging methods include sealing the wine in an airtight wooden cask with or without inserted wood rods as well as the addition and/or removal of fermenting agents and other additives. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,378,419; 5,102,675; 1,204,669; 433,131; 2,080,138; 4,998,643; and 3,942,423. Additionally, aging wine in a bottle has also become popular among consumers leading to the development of climate and temperature controlled wine cellars designed for home consumer use.

While some wines are not meant to be aged, it is commonly accepted that aging certain wines in a bottle can lead to a more pleasing flavor such as the reduction of bitterness from the tannins or the reduction of sourness from the acidity. However, aging wine in a bottle can take several years or more in order to achieve this effect. As a result, some attempts have been made to achieve the same or similar effects in a fraction of that time. Such attempts primarily focus on using neodymium and other rare earth magnets to break down macromolecules in the wine, such as tannins, and thus reducing its bitter flavor. These methods are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,107,894 and associated references. Such methods have been embodied in the form of a clip that attaches to the neck of the bottle, various holders for the wine, and specialized corks designed for use with the wine. All such methods focus on using a magnetic field to alter the flavor of the wine.

Negative ions, on the other hand, have been primarily focused on the purification of air and have also been suggested to have some positive effects on human depression and energy levels. “The Action of Air Ions on Bacteria”, Journal of General Physiology (1957), Kreuger, A. P., and “The Biological Mechanisms of Air Ion Action”, Journal of General Physiology (1957), Kreuger, A. P. suggest that negatively ionized air can remove airborne bacteria and other microorganisms Kornbleuh, Igho, M. D., Polarized Air as an Adjunct in the Treatment of Burns, American Journal of Physical Medicine, Vol. 39, No. 3 (June, 1960) suggests that negatively ionized air can help speed up the healing process of burn and other wound victims. Soyka, F. The Ion Effect, Bantum, (1991); Stark, W., Vitaionen-ein potentieller Gesundheitsfaktor, Lugano, Switzerland: Tipografia (1971) suggest that negatively ionized air can mitigate the effects of smoking. Finley, M., The PC Blahs: Do You Have Ion-Poor Blood?, Future Shoes (1996) available at http://www.skypoint.com; Kreuger, A. P., The Biological Mechanisms of Air Ion Action, Journal of General Physiology (1957) suggest that negatively ionized air can help treat depression. To date, there is no prior art on the use of negative ions as a way to treat wine or other beverages.

Magnetic treatment of wine in the bottle and associated devices are subject to various shortcomings including being difficult to use, expensive and difficult to make, overly complex, unattractive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

At least one embodiment of the present invention includes a device to treat a beverage using negative ions. Such ions may be generated through negative ion powder emitting anions of at least two hundred parts per cubic centimeter. The powder is typically bound to an ion generating material which is used as the inner lining of the device. The inner lining of the device may include any number of layers of such ion-generating cloth to increase or decrease the strength of the treatment. The device is designed to hold a beverage container, such as a beverage bottle or a wine bottle, and enclose the beverage container so that negative ions are emitted towards the beverage container. The device is preferably designed to fit the shape of the beverage container so that the beverage container is flush against an ion generating material. The device may include a fastener or strap, such as Velcro (™) for holding tapered beverage containers such as a tapered wine bottle. The outer lining of the device may be constructed of any suitable material.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention may use one or two layers of ion-generating material. The innermost layer may be comprised of tourmaline or ceramic negative ion powder emitting anions of at least one thousand parts per cubic centimeter, which is bound to an inner lining of the device, which may be made of cotton, polyester, or any combination thereof. The outermost layer may be comprised of bamboo charcoal powder bound to an outer lining of the device, which may be made of cotton, polyester, or any combination thereof. However, an embodiment of the present invention may be constructed of any suitable materials using any suitable ion generating source. For example, an embodiment of the present invention could be constructed using another ion-generating source bound to metal, plastic, or wood.

Thus it is an objective of at least one embodiment of the present invention to provide a device comprising layers of negative-ion generating material and a container to hold a beverage in order to treat and condition a beverage with negative ions. Such treatment is meant to take place over several hours or a few days.

Another objective of at least one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a device to treat and condition a beverage as it is being stored. An embodiment of the present invention is designed to be flush against the beverage container and thin enough so that it does not make the beverage container unwieldy for storage purposes.

Another objective of at least one embodiment the present invention is to provide a device that is easy to use. At least one embodiment of the present invention is designed to fasten around the neck or body of a wine bottle so that it does not come off inadvertently and requires no user action other than to fasten the device onto the beverage and unfasten it when it is ready to be consumed.

Another objective of at least one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a device that is attractive and aesthetically pleasing to the consumer. In at least one embodiment, a device is provided which is not heavy, bulky, or difficult to use. It is designed to be thin, lightweight, and can come in a variety of colors, patterns and materials.

Another objective of at least one embodiment of the present invention is to alter the flavor of the beverage without adding to or detracting from the actual chemical make-up of the beverage itself. A device is provided, in at least one embodiment, which typically treats a beverage in its sealed container and therefore only facilitates reactions within the beverage itself.

Another objective of at least one embodiment of the present invention is to allow for the gradual treatment of a beverage to a user's tastes. A treatment process, in one embodiment, is designed to take place over a period of a few hours to multiple days. Depending on the tastes of a user and a type of wine used, the treatment can be applied for longer or shorter periods of times to achieve a desired result.

While not being bound by theory, it is believed that treatment of wine using negative ions reduces acidity and facilitates chemical reactions within the wine and thereby improving the taste of the wine.

In addition to the novel features and advantages mentioned above, other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following descriptions of the drawings and exemplary embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a device enclosing a wine bottle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the material used to construct the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In one embodiment of the present invention a device 10, shown in FIG. 1, is provided to treat a beverage, such as wine, using negative ions. The device 10 has a lining 12 which includes a material that emits or generates negative ions. The device 10 is fastened around a beverage container 1, as shown in FIG. 1. The device 10 may be comprised of a pouch that holds the beverage container 1 snugly so that an ion-generating material is flush against an outside surface of the beverage container 1. The beverage container 1 may be a wine bottle, which may have wine contained therein. The device 10 may be held in place by a fastener 30 that tightens around a neck 2 of the beverage container 1. In one embodiment, the fastener 30 is a drawstring, which fastens the device 10 to the beverage container 1, but any method of fastening is sufficient.

The beverage container 1 is placed into the device 10 so that the bottom of the beverage container 1 is flush against a base 32 of the device 1. The sides of the beverage container 1 should be flush against an inner surface 12 a of the lining 12 of the device 10. The device 10 is held in place by the fastener 30 that tightens around the neck 2 of the beverage container 1.

The material for the lining, which is used to treat the beverage in the beverage container 1, using negative ions, is shown in FIG. 2. In one embodiment two layers of negative ion generating material are used, however, any number of layers may be used with any concentration of ion-generating substance to achieve the desired effect. In one embodiment the lining 12 is comprised of two layers of ion-generating material. The surface 12 a of the lining 12 is designed to be flush against the outer surface of the beverage container 1. The lining 12 is constructed of an inner layer 14, which is typically comprised of a fabric made of cotton, polyester, or any combination thereof and is coated and bound by adhesive 16 with ceramic or tourmaline negative ion-generating powder 18. The lining 12 also includes an outer layer 20 which is designed to supplement the ion treatment effects of the inner layer 14. The outer layer 20 may be comprised of a fabric made of cotton, polyester, or any combination thereof that is coated and bound by an adhesive 22 with a powdered bamboo charcoal 24, which is a negative ion-generating material. The binding of the powdered bamboo charcoal 24 to the outer layer 20 can be accomplished using standard techniques for binding substances to cloth fibers, such as through adhesive 22.

The exemplary embodiments disclosed are not intended to be exhaustive or to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention so that others skilled in the art may practice the invention. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, various modifications can be made within the scope of the aforesaid description. Such modifications being within the ability of one skilled in the art form a part of the present invention and are embraced by the appended claims. 

1. An apparatus comprising a lining that emits negative ions; and a beverage container.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lining is comprised of a first negative ion generating material and a second negative ion generating material.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a first fabric layer located between the first negative ion generating material and the second negative ion generating material.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first fabric layer is comprised of cotton.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first fabric layer is comprised of polyester.
 6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first fabric layer is comprised of rubber.
 7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first fabric layer is comprised of plastic.
 8. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a second fabric layer which is not located between the first negative ion generating material and the second negative ion generating material, and which is located closer to the first negative ion generating material than the second negative ion generating material.
 9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first negative ion generating material is comprised of ceramic negative ion-generating powder.
 10. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first negative ion generating material is comprised of tourmaline negative ion-generating powder.
 11. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first negative ion generating material is comprised of silicon negative ion-generating powder.
 12. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the second negative ion generating material is comprised of powdered bamboo charcoal.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lining is part of a pouch and the beverage container is placed in the pouch so that an inner surface of the lining is in close contact with an outer surface of the beverage container.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the beverage container is a wine bottle which contains wine.
 15. A method comprising placing a beverage container near a lining that emits negative ions.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the lining is comprised of a first negative ion generating material and a second negative ion generating material.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein lining is comprised of a first fabric layer located between the first negative ion generating material and the second negative ion generating material.
 18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first fabric layer is comprised of cotton.
 19. The method of claim 17 wherein the first fabric layer is comprised of polyester.
 20. The method of claim 17 wherein the first fabric layer is comprised of rubber.
 21. The method of claim 17 wherein the first fabric layer is comprised of plastic.
 22. The method of claim 19 wherein the lining is comprised of a second fabric layer which is not located between the first negative ion generating material and the second negative ion generating material, and which is located closer to the first negative ion generating material than the second negative ion generating material.
 23. The method of claim 16 wherein the first negative ion generating material is comprised of ceramic negative ion-generating powder.
 24. The method of claim 16 wherein the first negative ion generating material is comprised of tourmaline negative ion-generating powder.
 25. The method of claim 16 wherein the first negative ion generating material is comprised of silicon negative ion-generating powder.
 26. The method of claim 16 wherein the second negative ion generating material is comprised of powdered bamboo charcoal.
 27. The method of claim 16 wherein the lining is part of a pouch; and further comprising placing the beverage container in the pouch so that an inner surface of the lining is in close contact with an outer surface of the beverage container.
 28. The method of claim 16 wherein the lining is part of a flexible wrap; and further comprising wrapping the beverage container with the flexible wrap so that an inner surface of the lining is in close contact with an outer surface of the beverage container.
 29. The method of claim 28 wherein the beverage container is a wine bottle which contains wine. 